Still Part of the World

 'Even though we live as an occupied people, it is important for us to show the world that the Palestinians are still a part of the world. That is partly the reason why we take part in Dana Cup,'

Farid Jaber explains.

He is part of Football Academy of Jerusalem that takes part in the tournament for the first time with a team in class B12. The Academy consists of 120 boys aged 5-13 and last year Jerusalem FC participated in the Gothia Cup in Sweden.

'There we heard about Dana Cup and this year the tournament in Hjørring has been very helpful finding accommodation and, thus, given us a unique opportunity to take part in the world's third largest football tournament for young players,' smiles Farid Jaber, who stresses that both players and managers have paid for everything themselves.

'We do not have any sponsors, who pay for us. The boys' parents all have simple jobs and have saved up and worked hard enabling the boys to have this experience,' says Farid Jaber, who works as a secretary at the Academy while handling a job at the community centre five kilometres outside Jerusalem city centre.

'We won our two matches yesterday and, naturally, we want to win as many matches as possible. However, our goal is to show the world to the boys and give them the opportunity to meet other children and youth from other countries, plus show the world that we as Palestinians are part of the world community and finally, of course, play football and get by as best we can,' Farid Jaber says.